5 shows to watch over the weekend

November 11, 2005|By Maureen Ryan

"CNN Presents: Undercover in the Secret State," 7 and 10 p.m. Sunday, CNN: Can technology undermine a dictatorship? This CNN special presents the handiwork of brave North Koreans who fervently hope so. Using digital cameras and cell phones, North Koreans have risked their lives to record dreadful, horrific images from their homeland; one grainy bit of footage on this special features footage of a public execution. Other images: dirty, starving children scrounging food in the streets; political prisoners at a concentration camp (the existence of which is denied by the government); and an average man driven to do the unthinkable in this rigid, totalitarian society -- defacing an image of dictator Kim Jong Il. All in all, this important special is a worthy account of citizen journalism at its finest.

"My Name Is Earl," 8 p.m. Saturday, WMAQ-Ch. 5: In the graveyard of drama repeats that the networks usually put forth on Saturday night, here's an appealing comedic break. Even though its recent review of the show was generally negative (what are they smoking over there?), the New Yorker has declared that "Earl" star Jason Lee is "an amazingly charismatic actor." True, but watch this quartet of repeats, and you'll see that on this sweet show about a lottery winner trying to right the wrongs he has done, the deft, daffy Lee has plenty of fine actors around him, including the wickedly sharp Jaime Pressly as his indomitable ex-wife, Joy. By the way, Tuesday's episode concerns Joy's wedding to Darnell, which is, not surprisingly, messed up by Earl. It's a hoot. Don't miss it.

"Chicago Tonight," 7 p.m. Friday, WTTW-Ch. 11: Former president Jimmy Carter stops by the program to chat with host Bob Sirott. Carter will discuss current events, his new book and his own presidency.

"Grey's Anatomy," 9 p.m. Sunday, WLS-Ch. 7: At the risk of sounding like a broken record -- oh, heck, who cares? This bears repeating: "Grey's Anatomy" is one of the best shows on TV -- and, inexplicably, it seems to get better every week. Whether it's George breaking out of his sad-puppy persona to do a risky operation in an elevator, Alex planting an amazing kiss on Izzy or Meredith's heartbreak over her romance with Dr. McDreamy, "Grey's" provides a seemingly never-ending smorgasbord of delights. This week, McDreamy -- OK, Dr. Shepherd -- and his wife, also a top doctor who has decided to try to patch up their marriage, lock horns over the treatment of one of their closest friends. And, according to the ABC press release, Cristina (the indispensable Sandra Oh) and Burke "try to have a normal date." Just imagining that is a treat.

"Saturday Night Live in the '80s: Lost and Found," 8 p.m. Sunday, WMAQ-Ch. 5: It's telling that NBC is shoring up its Sunday night lineup with a special about an era of "Saturday Night Live" that's now two decades past. What does that say about NBC's present? Still, let's look at the bright side: This workmanlike retrospective is enjoyable enough; it features interviews with former cast members from the show's tumultuous '80s era, when producer Lorne Michaels left for a time and stars such as Eddie Murphy and Dana Carvey came to prominence. The hiring process for new cast members could be brutal; one early '80s cast member recalls auditioning six times. "I said, if you have me [come] in again, I'm going to charge a cover," Denny Dillon cracks. And a funny segment from Charles Rocket predates the antics of Andy Milonakis by a few decades. Roaming the streets of New York, Rocket asks a passerby, "You're on drugs right now, aren't you?"